Legion: An Exegetical Analysis

A detailed Summary of Legion: An Exegetical Analysis

In this analysis I will be drawing from five passages found in Mark 5: 9-13, which is the story of the demonic possession by the demon which is called Legion. I will be drawing on the context of the whole passage which is Mark 5: 1-20, but my main focus and purpose of this analysis is to shed light on verses 9-13. I have referenced three different versions of these passages in different Bibles, the KJV, NIV and the NRSV, but I have found no significant difference, so the context in which I will use these references bares no large concern to the analysis, other than to show a harmony of the translations.

While this occurrence is accounted in the other synoptic Gospels, Mark gives us the longest and most detailed account of this occurrence. This is also the longest and most detailed occurrence in the gospel of Mark. This occurrence happens in the country of the Gerasene's, which is stated in verse one of Mark 5, which it is uncertain exactly where this location is, but the herd of swine found in verse eleven of Mark 5 indicates that this is a territory of the Gentiles. Nothing about this land is kosher; everything was unclean; spirits

These verses of Mark 5: 9-13 hold some very important lessons that we can obtain, if we only look deeper. These verses hold some critical information on the demon possession genre and how Christ deals with these. This is also the most detailed description of a demon possession, which we have in the book of Mark. I believe that is for a reason, because of all of the rich symbolism, which can be found in a deeper study of the passage.

One significance in this is that the pigs die in the see, which would represent the abyss from which they came and would be forced to return. This is significant in the fact that it seems as though Jesus has bargained with Legion, but in doing so sends them to their death through the symbolic sea. In this fact Jesus accepts their proposal, but defeats their purpose of trying to find away out, in which his authority prevails.

In the later part Mark (5:15-17) it tells of the crowd's reaction to what had happened. The crowd began to beg Jesus to leave their land. This shows that the crowd had no appreciation for what Jesus had done rather they, in the same way that Legion did not want anything to do with Jesus, had told him to leave and shunned him instead of showed their marvel, appraise and appreciation.

The fact that all this surrounded Jesus, which signified un-cleanliness, the tombs, the swine, Gentiles, the demons and Jesus, still had power over all things. He had created order out of chaos. Jesus brings peace into a tormented personality and land.

In verse 5 Jesus asks for the name of the unclean spirit that has possessed the man in which he replies, "My name is Legion; for we are many." This is characteristic of the ancient belief that knowledge of a name gave you power over your adversaries. This was also evident in verse 7 where the demon already knows who Jesus was and says his name to try and have a somewhat of an upper hand. The fact that he replied with

Some common words found in the essay are:
Matthew Luke, Pagan Territory5, Christ Christ, Legion Jesus, Gospels Mark, Exegetical Analysis, Jesus Christ, NIV NRSV, mark 5, jesus power, demon possessed, unclean spirits, Lit Dec, Palmer RS, jesus power demons, christ power, jesus name, herd swine, legion begging, 5 jesus, demons jesus power, mark 5 9-13, tombs swine,

Approximate Word count = 1305
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous